What does getPermit actually do?

getPermit reads your job details and tells you what a California city expects before you file: which permits the work triggers, the documents and plans you'll need, the fees to budget for, and the common reasons applications in that jurisdiction get bounced back. It produces a clear checklist you can act on. It does not submit to the city for you — you (or your permit person) stay in control of what gets filed.

Is there a human involved, or is it just AI?

Both. The AI does the research and drafts the assessment and checklist; an experienced permit coordinator reviews and approves it before it's treated as authoritative. The human check is the point — it's how we keep it trustworthy in a process where a wrong filing has real consequences.

Which cities do you cover?

We're starting deep in California rather than shallow everywhere. For a city we haven't fully mapped yet, we'll give you accurate general California guidance and point you to that city's official building department — and you can join the waitlist to be notified when we cover it in depth. We will not invent city-specific fees or timelines we haven't verified.

Solo electricians, plumbers, and HVAC contractors, and small general contractors who don't have a dedicated permit department and lose billable hours to permit admin.

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Subpanel installation permits in San Francisco, CA

General California guidance last updated September 23, 2026 · San Francisco data fully re-verified August 9, 2026

What electrical contractors need to know about pulling a subpanel installation permit in San Francisco (San Francisco County).

Short answer

In California, adding or replacing a subpanel requires an electrical permit — the feeder, overcurrent protection, grounding, and panel location are all plan-checked and inspected under the California Electrical Code (Title 24, Part 3). A C-10 (Electrical) licensed contractor generally pulls it.

San Francisco accepts submittal through the Permit Services at DBI (online permits and tracking) and has adopted the SF Building Code (2025 edition, amending the 2025 California Building Code). Fee details and sources are below.

San Francisco permit data

Sourced from public City of San Francisco documents — every field carries the source URL and verification date.

Permit portal

Permit Services at DBI (online permits and tracking)

verified Aug 9, 2026 · source · Online filing for electrical, plumbing, mechanical, and Boiler-to-Operate permits (one-time contractor registration required); In-House Review building permits are filed via Electronic Plan Review (EPR). The PermitSF portal (https://sanfranciscoca.portal.opengov.com/) covers sign, awning, no-plans reroofing, and door/window/siding replacement permits. Permit tracking at https://dbiweb02.sfgov.org/dbi_building/

Adopted code edition

SF Building Code (2025 edition, amending the 2025 California Building Code)

verified Aug 9, 2026 · source · Ordinance 231-25 repealed the 2022 Building Code and enacted the 2025 SF Building Code — the 2025 California Building Code and 2025 California Residential Code as further amended by San Francisco — operative January 1, 2026 (ordinance text: https://sfbos.org/sites/default/files/o0231-25.pdf). Designed to be used in conjunction with the 2025 California Building and Residential Codes.

Fee schedule

DBI Fee Schedule — applies to all building permits issued on or after July 12, 2026

verified Aug 9, 2026 · source

San Francisco Department of Building Inspection (DBI) →All verified San Francisco data →

The general picture in California

A subpanel is permitted electrical work in every California jurisdiction because it is new distribution equipment: a feeder sized to an overcurrent device, a grounding arrangement that must be right, and a location with code-required working clearance. The review centers on three things. First, the load calculation — a subpanel moves capacity around but doesn't add any, so the calc has to show the service behind it can carry the load (when it can't, the job grows into a service upgrade — a separate scope). Second, grounding: a four-wire feeder with neutral and ground kept separate at the subpanel, plus a grounding-electrode system when the panel serves a detached structure. Third, placement — clearances kept, and no panels in clothes closets or bathrooms. Fees, whether the city wants the trench open at rough, and scheduling are set per city — confirm with the local building department.

For deeper background that isn't San Francisco-specific, see the statewide subpanel installation guide.

Typically needs a permit

Subpanel installation itself triggers a permit in nearly every California jurisdiction, San Francisco included. San Francisco-specific variations are confirmed with the issuing department above.

Usually doesn't (general norm)

Resetting breakers and updating the panel directory
Replacing a breaker like-for-like — treated differently city to city, verify locally
Cover-plate and labeling maintenance

Documents & plans generally required

Electrical permit application
Contractor license and city business registration
Load calculation supporting the feeder and the service behind it
Single-line/panel schedule — feeder size, overcurrent protection, and the circuits landing in the new panel
Grounding detail — four-wire feeder with neutral and ground separated at the subpanel
Panel location and working-clearance detail
For detached structures: feeder routing (often trenched) and the grounding-electrode system at the building

Common reasons subpanel installation applications get bounced

Code-rooted patterns across California — not a San Francisco-specific rejection rate.

Neutral and ground bonded together at the subpanel — the bond belongs only at the service disconnect
Feeder conductor size not matched to the overcurrent device, or no load calc supporting it
Working clearance not maintained — roughly 30" wide, 36" deep, and 6'6" of headroom kept permanently clear
Panel located where panels aren't allowed — clothes closets, bathrooms
A legacy three-wire feeder proposed where a four-wire feeder with an equipment ground is required
Detached-structure subpanel without its own grounding-electrode connection

The inspection sequence

A typical order — the number of stops and exact sequence vary by jurisdiction and scope.

1Rough inspection where the feeder is concealed in framing or a trench before cover
2Final inspection with the panel set, breakers landed, the directory filled out, and clearances verified

Licensing — who can pull it

Subpanel installation in California is C-10 (Electrical) licensed work; a B (General Building) contractor may pull within a larger project under CSLB rules. The contractor doing the work typically pulls the permit.

Other verified San Francisco notes

DBI Permit Services phone: 628-652-3240. Online contractor registration is required before filing trade permits online.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
Building Permit Fee = Plan Review Fee + Permit Issuance Fee. The current schedule applies to all building permits issued on or after July 12, 2026.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source
In-House Review building permits are submitted electronically, with plans formatted as PDFs for electronic review. Title 24 Energy and Green Building Special Inspection forms must accompany new construction submittals.
verified Aug 9, 2026 · source

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a permit for a subpanel in a garage or shop?

Yes — a subpanel is new distribution equipment fed by a feeder, and it's permitted electrical work everywhere in California. A detached garage or shop adds scope: the feeder route (often trenched) and a grounding-electrode system at the detached building.

Why can't neutral and ground be bonded in a subpanel?

The neutral-to-ground bond exists at the service disconnect only. Downstream, neutrals and grounds run on separate bars so fault current returns on the equipment-grounding conductor — a bonded subpanel puts normal neutral current on the grounding path. It's the most common subpanel correction, especially on panels reused from service duty.

Does adding a subpanel mean upgrading the main service?

Not automatically — the load calculation decides. A subpanel redistributes capacity; it doesn't create it. If the calc shows the existing service can't carry the added load, the project becomes a service upgrade, which is its own permit scope.

Can the subpanel go in a closet?

Not in a clothes closet or a bathroom, and wherever it goes the working clearance has to stay permanently clear. Garages, utility rooms, and hallways with clearance are the usual locations. Placement is checked at plan review and again at final.

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